The Opelousas courier., 1887-03-26
A Political Episode.
N. O. States

cH. il nd IA d bolt from the Democratic party
and defended oB the other hand as an entire
IL iHstifabla revolt against the Ring;" and
be apreais to the States for such q statement
of facts rs will present that movement to the
Democracy of Louisiana in it's true light.
Our correspondents request is just aud Fea-
s.nable. for, siuce lie campaign iu question Is
beiue discussed, its real character aud history
should DO understood; hence we feel II In
curs,hept GU us TO comply with onr North
Louisiana friends solicitation.
We may remark n the outset, that II rue
" Hurt movement y was not D bolt-there ts
10 suciI thing as holt. and that IT that move.
lngut WIS IL accordance with detnocrstlc
prIneires and uSages, there is no such thing
as party discipline aud any man or body OF
tsctionisfs may, with perfect proprlety' soit
any Democratic convention that happens not
to square its nominations and uttefances by
bis OF their wish.
III 1882 Mr. Hunt was nomiuated by the
Democratic convention aud elected to Con
cress. We do not recall any convention that
was more couspicuously managed by RUG
methods than the one that nominated this
geu rir,uan. For weeks before the convention
met, or the delegates We're even choseu, It
was au open secret that "the triggers" had
been set and the buses were to deliver the
uunDation over to Mr.. Hunt. II was under.
contest this fat of The mauipulators Ot pnll'
ties in the First District III 1882. when hr.
Hunt was to he the beneficiary, this sort OF
at, arrangement was altogether lovely; 1t was
the correct thug; it Was In accordance with
Democratic uSugeo
Blu, ju 1884, wheu MIR. HUT uspiled to . re-
election lie discovered thai lie could not OBJ
tain the auuiiuatiup by the old method aud
that, u,iess he srt mp brand neR Hunt par
ty. or could secure, hr vigorous appeal to
the Democratic masses, the return OF dele
gates in his aSor tn the Democratic conven'
tion, he would have to go OUT OF statssmau-
ship HAPPILY, as they then thought for Mr.
H and bis friends, there Was Il runior ahont
that il, the previous election the. ring
busses" Who noninatet! Mr.. Hunt in the first
place. had aud the then pending nomination
to g. Il. Heyer for Il subscription OF $lOooo 10
the ns.;raerutc cernpaigu fluid II Mr.. ii.
arA his reform friends bad seized upon
that runner Investigated it, :aaud it true aud
gone before the Democratic masses to defeat
sucA ;. bYryain there is 30 doubt they woglh
have s,srceeded, aud Mir, Hunt would ba'e
net only been renpniiiafed, but would nave
ue:ar;ups conspiracy But the Refoi'n
Dc:u.,c%a,y 'i.i net pt.rsle this piai :,
.,sy.,,r;s. Democratic tine of proceed
ufe Qn;es si,e contrary They seized upon
the i,,s,t,e, ii g tI,e ~, they seized upon ii
rs al ..xc.<. tar sust;r'g np g little private
convention q sis~ir own, sll the members nf
which thev ap;,uti'tsi 'henlsel7ss, and noln;-
ruf;ps Mr Huaf. No Investigation was ever
ris,1e OF this runner; it was never proved; no
apngsi va ever ina:le to the Democrats
uns.ss the story was simply utilized by the
| Reform Ds.ao.-raey asan excuse for bo':-
;n- c~y.., he ..arty When they found the5
cgff:s! nct oarsfo' the party conTention: aua
s.; riug t,p L revpit IL tie nssdt ct Que ct The
s.e.sess s,o!;s;cal crses t,.s oountry has ever
passed through.
This vas the oiigir; G! tus Hunt movement
Ess' \ sug,e .abseq:'ess. fact Findcated il, 'i'
.,,I,> Of i.1af ,..ti
| Aft.r t,.x RciorIaar3 had called their sn-
csl.s.: cs.2vensio,, sts Democratic Parish
Cs,t,. ::.,tea mat:e sayegs. Written appeals TO
| tie ::. .leaa wi the HINT movement TO abauou
tu.-'. .i!stalH,i aud dangerous bolt The Com
| n;;l q b,4g-d for u conference, accompany
Ing hif pei! ION with an expressed Wiling
| ue.s j.. t.ivisie the commissioners aud all the
| ftut-- tt,4tts,e of tie elections Tor delegates
wit, fhe f;efofmers,r if the latter wenl';
cpnre,,t Il, ~, before Fhs people aud test tue
issua but in vain. All such petitions, VS.
might almost say suppi!ratIons, were pei'
these .s4eytures for peace the spokesman o'
the Reform Democracy" said The
trirr has already spoken. The eon7eptio:
has :,ees held. The con7entio
named hy unau:uous consent the Honorable
CusIetos, Hunt as the candidste.' such WIZ
tie raply oi the lesders Of the Hunt tno1e
my,. 10 appeals for harmony, though tot
nemaeyarjc vote was cast for delegate 81
tbe convention thus pafatled as the represent 7
stive b.,dy uf the Democracy OF tue First Ols
triet No such arrogant spirit of rtugsin Da
eve, been before oi sincs displayed IN part!
poii'ics, .,, r,
regular Democratic convention assembled
few days subsequent TO this correspondence
, Did its acliou establish, Or eyeu give eolur t.
the rulpor that tbe bosses bad sold the hoin
na:iouf viii q siugle uun iu Louisisua, VII
, Ia .eouaiuted with the f2cts, venture 10 ss
! that It did2 Gen. Meyer Was not nomtuitsc
! Hence, either the story that tue bosses ba
sold him the nomination was false, or th
Democratic tnasses were So strongly ropr'
, ssnted il the convention that tie bosses coul
q MT deliver the goods In either eyel
every ,eg was kpoeked FROM under tue HUI
a movement, aud its leaders stood forth .
;. boIsers, pure aud simple. They had not eve
. | as 4 l,rufext for their bolt tue opportunity
( say that the convention bad nominated
i ring man. Our venerable aud honorc
!. fellow eitizeu, Louis st. Martin, received IL
nouliuatiou aud received 1t il spite uf himsel
The uuuliuee had been u lifelong Deniocr;
. without flaw or blenish in his record I
: was au aa.ti-ring man when Mr. Huut recei
= e., = the rug noiniuatiuu For Congress b
= MAS an earnest supporter OF the ialpeutt
:, os.l.u III the contest between that gepeiena
Q aud Gov McEucry A truer Democrat.
- more stainless gentleman, public, niaa mo
= hostile to riugis,n could not have been selec
. . ed in The State OF Louisiana. Such was 81
- Democrat whose election Governor Nicbol
songht to defeat and. i'll opposing whom,
6 made the celebrated remark that be Wou
,t unite with auy purity or With mel OF auF IA
le ar collar 10 defeat 1.-The ring Aud let
IF herr. reauu.k that, il the convention viii
70 nominated ST. Martin was manipulated
I. bosses, the bead boss, thu king OF the bosss
o. is row an ardent support of the ex-g"serD